One of Mike's aircraft, a Vega Gull © A J Jackson

As well as being an accomplished racing driver, Mike Hawthorn had obtained a pilot's licence, his initial tuition coming while he was in the Argentine in 1954. When he returned home, he took flying lessons at Fairoak Flying Club in Surrey where the licence came. He owned and flew several aircraft (one was his father's Fairchild Argus, G-AJSG) that he used as a means of getting to meetings. The CAA record this plane as deregistered in late 1954 though and 'Sold to Australia'.

After his tragic death, one fan commented:

"I had even cycled out to Fairoak aerodrome to touch dark green VDU 881, parked while Mike flew his Vega Gull to races. The very car in which he was killed."

The Fairoak logs record two flights for Mike's Percival P10 Vega Gull (Registered: G-AHET) in 1958: 7th April where he used it to get to and back from the Goodwood meeting with Tom Mayhew as a passenger, and 4th May.

In some photos it carries the Number '62' on the tail - it took place in the Kemsley Challenge cup race at Coventry in July 1959. However this was after Mike died and it then had a new owner, E N Husbands.

The number 62 comes from a race at Coventry in 1959

G-AHET was registered to the Tourist Trophy Garage Ltd (Mike's Company) up until 1959 when Mike died. It was sold to E.N.Husbands and then the Air-Britain Civil Aircraft Register records that it was damaged beyond repair in a forced landing at Kirkby Trading Estate, near Liverpool, on 2nd May 1960.

In 'Challenge Me the Race', Mike's autobiography, he says in Chapter 22, 'Flying Licence':

"After getting my initial flying tuition in the Argentine, I had obtained a pilot's licence and was using my own Fairchild Argus to fly to meetings whenever possible. I therefore thought it would be nice to fly out to the Monaco race."

He goes on to recount how he eventually spotted a 'rather large town with a tall tower' during the flight - then realised he was over Paris!

Mike's Fairchild Argus © A J Jackson

Mike also comments in 'Challenge Me the Race':

"The fat old Stratocruiser is still my favourite aircraft for long distances. Its spiral staircase and bar on the lower deck give the passengers the opportunity to walk about and chat and get a change of scene which passes the time more agreeably than sitting glued to ones seat for hours on end in the slim modern projectiles."

Maybe one of you out there drank with Mike at the bar of a Stratocruiser? If so please let us know....